1. What Locum Tenens Is Really Like for Physicians

Locum tenens is no longer a late-career side gig. According to a physician recruiting survey, nearly 90% of hospitals and medical groups use locum tenens physicians to bridge coverage gaps, and interest among residents is rising.

The appeal is real. Doctors can earn up to 30% more than peers in permanent roles, often with travel, housing, and liability coverage included. Another survey found 97% of locum clinicians cited freedom and flexibility as rewarding. Many work fewer shifts each month while serving rural and underserved communities where their presence directly expands access to care.

Still, the tradeoffs are practical. Multi-state licensure, credentialing, DEA fees, EHR retraining, and unpredictable schedules require stamina and planning. Travel can strain personal life, and team continuity may be limited. For some physicians, locums is a long-term strategy. For others, it’s a rewarding way to build skills, income, and perspective before settling into a permanent role.

(American Medical Association, February 10)

2. Healthcare AI’s Trust Gap

At a recent Axios event, healthcare industry leaders agreed on one thing: the biggest barrier to healthcare AI is trust.

Optimism is uneven. A Philips survey found 63% of providers believe AI can improve patient outcomes, compared to 48% of patients. Panelists argued that language matters. Framing AI around productivity can alienate physicians, while transparency about what AI will and will not do builds credibility. At Mayo Clinic, keeping people in the loop helped an AI handoff tool reach 75% nurse adoption, generating hundreds of thousands of summaries.

AI tools must be accountable, explainable, and built on trusted data sources such as CMS and the National Provider Identifier registry. When clinicians understand how AI supports, rather than replaces, clinical judgment, adoption follows. The technology is advancing quickly, but earning physician confidence remains the decisive step.

(Axios, January 26)

3. US Senate Committee Holds Hearing on Physician Burnout and Its Consequences

Physician burnout is easing from its COVID-19 peak, but it’s far from resolved. At a February 11 Senate Aging Committee hearing titled “The Doctor Is Out,” lawmakers and experts pointed to one persistent driver: regulatory overload that pulls physicians away from patient care.

Administrative strain is not abstract. In a 2026 MGMA survey of more than 230 practices, over 50% reported losing at least one physician to burnout in the past three years, and more than 75% cited regulatory burden as a significant factor. Witnesses described prior authorizations, quality reporting, and inconsistent Medicare rules that require hours of unpaid documentation. About 400 physicians die by suicide each year, according to testimony at the hearing, underscoring the stakes.

Proposed solutions were pragmatic. Lawmakers discussed streamlining prior authorization, standardizing payer requirements, improving EHR usability, and fully funding the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act. The message from both physicians and lawmakers was clear: reduce administrative barriers, or risk further limiting access to care.

(Medical Economics, February 13)

4. New Mexico Set to Be Included in the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact

New Mexico is poised to join the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact after unanimous approval of Senate Bill 1. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has indicated she will sign the bill, positioning the state to streamline physician recruitment.

The compact creates a centralized verification process that allows physicians in good standing to secure licensure more quickly across state lines. For New Mexico, where rural and specialty shortages persist, the goal is straightforward: cut administrative delays and bring qualified clinicians into communities faster.

The benefits run both ways. Out-of-state physicians can relocate or provide telemedicine services with less friction, and New Mexico physicians gain easier access to practice in other compact states. Lawmakers framed the measure as a practical step to reduce red tape and strengthen access to care statewide.

(New Mexico Governor’s Office, February 4)

5. Tax Extensions for Locum Physicians, Explained

If you are still waiting on a 1099, K-1, or reconciling multi-state income, a 2026 tax filing extension can be a smart move. It can give you more time to file and ensure your taxes are in order. However, it does not give you more time to pay. Any tax owed is still due by April 15, 2026, and underpaying can trigger interest and penalties.

For locum physicians juggling multiple assignments and states, the risk is filing too fast with incomplete data. You need to estimate your total 1099 income, subtract documented business expenses, account for self-employment tax, and include state liabilities where you worked. Paying at least 90% of your current year tax, or 100% of last year’s tax, 110% for higher earners, helps reduce penalty exposure.

An extension is breathing room, not a reset button. Use it to reconcile deposits to 1099s, clean up travel and licensing deductions, and finalize state allocations. When used intentionally, it protects you from late filing penalties and gives your multi-state return the attention it deserves.

(The Doctor’s CPA, February 16)

6. AI in Medicine Moves From Pilot to Practice

AI is no longer a side project in American healthcare. It’s embedded in radiology suites, operating rooms, emergency departments, and primary care clinics, shifting how physicians diagnose and deliver care.

Imaging remains the most established use case, with AI serving as a second set of eyes on scans to flag malignancies and fractures, but its footprint is expanding. Surgeons now receive real-time guidance during procedures. Emergency departments use AI to identify sepsis, stroke, or cardiac risk earlier in the triage process. In outpatient settings, ambient AI tools draft clinical notes inside major EHR platforms.

Adoption is accelerating as the FDA clears more AI-enabled devices, though access varies between large systems and smaller hospitals. Investment is strong, but reimbursement models are still evolving. The long-term promise hinges on trust, transparency, and human oversight. Used well, AI can strengthen clinical judgment and extend the reach of every care team.

(WebProNews, February 15)

7. Physician Resilience Starts With Systems, Not Slogans

Medicine celebrates heroics, but long-term excellence rarely comes from adrenaline. Instead, it comes from systems that protect clarity, energy, and judgment.

Burnout often begins quietly. Decisions feel heavier, and days become reactive. Physicians experiencing work stress may begin to use checklists, templates, and routines to reduce cognitive load. While these actions aren’t enough to address the systemic causes of burnout, they can make doctors’ day-to-day experience easier. 

The most resilient physicians focus on what they can control. They pre-commit to how they handle notes, results, and overwhelm. They do not rely on memory under pressure and build habits that hold when the day is chaotic. These little actions go a long way toward maintaining patient care, even when burnout makes it difficult. 

(KevinMD, February 11)

8. Asset Protection for Unmarried Physicians 

Unmarried physicians face real legal and financial risk and should address asset protection before marriage, litigation, or cohabitation complicates ownership. Avoiding marriage does not eliminate exposure. Doctors remain malpractice targets, and even long-term partners may assert legal claims against them. Planning early, while assets are clearly separate, provides the strongest protection.

One strategy physicians can use is the Domestic Asset Protection Trust, or DAPT. This is an irrevocable trust that can shield assets from future creditors while still allowing structured access to those assets. The approach is generally most appropriate for clinicians with net worth exceeding $2 million and significant exposed assets beyond retirement accounts and insurance.

Asset protection is most effective before a lawsuit, creditor claim, or marriage occurs. Establishing structures early preserves flexibility, protects pre-marital wealth, and allows physicians to define how assets are safeguarded and distributed on their own terms.

(The White Coat Investor, February 14)

9. AI Scribes Gain Traction, With Caveats

Ambient AI scribes are quickly moving from a novelty to the norm in physician offices. By listening to patient visits and generating structured clinical notes, these tools aim to reduce after-hours charting and return physicians’ focus to the patient instead of the keyboard.

Roughly one-third of providers now have access to ambient AI scribes. Early studies suggest the notes are as complete and coherent as traditional documentation, sometimes better. Large systems such as Kaiser Permanente have widely deployed these tools, with clinicians reviewing and signing each note. Physicians report spending less time reviewing notes off the clock and stronger recruiting leverage in a workforce that increasingly values work-life balance.

Still, friction remains. AI hallucinations, though rare, require vigilance. Speaking exam findings aloud can change patient interactions, especially during sensitive encounters. For now, AI scribes appear to be a welcome shift in documentation burden, but they are a starting point, not the final word on AI in medicine.

(KFF Health News, January 27)